Deputy General Manager Human Resources

Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited; Ahmedabad; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in Ahmedabad is seeking a Deputy General Manager – Human Resources for seamless execution of HR functions across manufacturing and R&D. The ideal candidate should have over 15 years of HR experience with significant leadership exposure, specializing in the pharmaceutical sector. Key responsibilities include strategic HR partnership, talent acquisition, and compliance management. This full-time position offers the opportunity to manage critical HR operations and contribute to organizational growth.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in HR with 8+ years in leadership, ideally in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Experience in mid- to large pharma companies preferred.
• Deep understanding of cGMP, ICH guidelines, and senior labour laws.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR partnership to leadership on people strategy.
• Lead the entire employee lifecycle: staffing, onboarding, promotions.
• Drive talent acquisition within defined timelines.

Skills

Talent acquisition

IR management

Performance management

Change leadership

Negotiation

Education

MBA (HR) or Master’s in HRM / Organization Development

Job description

Overview

Deputy General Manager – Human Resources (Plant & R&D)

Location: Ahmedabad, Bhat

Position Overview (Role Purpose)

A dual-sphere HR leader responsible for the seamless execution of all human resource functions across the manufacturing plant, the R&D center (analytical, formulation, clinical, bioassay, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance). Acts as a strategic HR Business Partner to R&D leadership, aligning people plans with business drive, statutory compliance (including cGMP/ICH norms), talent strategy, and organization capability.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR business partnership to plant/site leadership on people strategy, manpower planning, attrition, IR, capability building and compliance.
• Lead full employee lifecycle: staffing, onboarding, career progression, transfers, promotions, exit processes—ensuring best practices in plant context.
• Drive talent acquisition & mobilization within defined TAT; monitor staffing needs, optimize headcount budgets, manage contractors and vendors.
• Oversee performance management, promotion cycles, compensation calibration, succession reviews and development of critical roles.
• Conduct statutory compliance & industrial relations activities: IR strategy, grievance management, vendor labour compliance, liaison with government authorities (Labour Inspector, ESI, PF), adherence to cGMP SOPs.
• Implement employee engagement & wellbeing programmes (e.g. wellness festivals, engagement drives, suggestion systems), focus on enhancing productivity and morale.
• Coach and lead the plant HR team (3–5 direct reports), build HR capability, conduct internal audits, mentor next-generation HR leads.
• Act as HR Business Partner to R&D leadership; support labs in Analytical Dev, Formulations, Bioassay, Pharmacovigilance, NPQC, Technical Operations.
• Define and execute strategic workforce planning for R&D: span/layer analysis, new role definition, role directories, resourcing plans aligned with project pipelines.
• Lead talent acquisition & onboarding for R&D: campus recruitment, lateral sourcing, executive hiring, project induction and intern programs.
• Drive performance & talent management: mid‑year/appraisal cycles, reward calibration, talent mapping, succession planning, OHI/OD surveys, structured feedback forums.
• Curate learning & development programs: TNI‑based technical training, knowledge‑sharing (PEDAL/Masterclass), leadership workshops, career tracks.
• Promote rewards, recognition & culture building: Scientist of the Quarter, innovation awards, skip-level townhalls, FGD‑driven attrition analyses.
• Manage annual HR budgeting, headcount forecasting (plant vs. R&D), OPEX controls and budgeting compliance.
• Implement shared HR platforms & tools: HRIS, analytics dashboards for attrition/performance, e-learning reminders, HR SOPs, change management tools.
• Pilot special HR projects tied to digitalization (HR automation, AI‑based analytics, e‑recruiting in R&D/plant), operating models, cGMP‑aligned SOP roll out.
• Act as a cross-functional HR advisor, partnering with compensation, TA, ER, L&D CoEs for policy alignment and global HR roll‑outs.

Qualifications, Experience & Competencies

Education

MBA (HR) or Master’s in HRM / Organization Development

Experience

15+ years in HR with 8+ years in leadership, ideally in pharmaceutical manufacturing, QC/QA/R&D centre, prior exposure to plant & research labs crucial

Technical Knowledge

cGMP, ICH guidelines for compliance; deep understanding of senior labour laws, IR frameworks, and pharmaceutical R&D processes

Domain Fit

Experience in mid- to large pharma companies preferred; R&D familiarity (discovery-to-commercial translation) is an advantage

HR Expertise

Talent acquisition, IR management, change leadership, performance & PKM systems, learning & competency frameworks

Leadership Skills

Soft & Strategic Skills

High business acumen; strong analytics orientation; negotiation, experimentation/best‑practice mindset

Seniority

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Human Resources
• Industries
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited by 2x

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.